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If you can't triumph, don't lose - so the old saying goes.

Prior to their trip to Forest, Man Utd had secured just eight points from deficit situations with their manager. They had not got any from the past six matches when they were losing since the match to AFC Bournemouth last April, when a last-minute goal secured a tie.

When they found themselves trailing at the stadium after conceding two goals in a short span, as Nottingham Forest reversed a disputed first-half opener, Manchester United were staring down the barrel.

The question to the manager after his side recovered to tie could not have been more direct.

'If that game happened the previous campaign, do you feel it would have ended in defeat?'

The response was equally forceful.

"Absolutely, and by more goals, that is my feeling."

It's impossible to determine the reality. What we do know that the young player demonstrated why the coach picks him at defensive wing by scoring a spectacular first-time volley from just outside the penalty area late in the game to earn a draw.

It's been clear since the start of the campaign that United are performing at a higher level this season. Since the beginning of autumn, they have also been achieving more positive outcomes.

The resolve, the desire, the unwillingness to surrender are intangibles.

In this game, the manager felt his players showed they have got better at that too.

"In the past, if we had such a bad five minutes and we conceded two goals, we wouldn't bounce back," stated Amorim. "Today is a different sensation. It's evident we could not triumph in the match but we are determined not to be defeated. And that is a feeling a major club sometimes must possess."

Amorim didn't mention it, but the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the winger likely contributed.

Cunha is not one to shy away from difficult situations, quite the reverse indeed. In the first half, when he was jeered by the local supporters for what they felt was his gamesmanship, he responded - instead of ignoring them - gesturing toward the badge on his kit.

Mbeumo is a constant threat, the perfect example of a footballer who will never allow an opponent any rest.

Amorim was asked exactly what had caused the psychological growth. Beyond saying the self-belief gained from the prior three consecutive victories, he didn't provide an answer.

"The confidence, of course, is completely changed," he said. "We came from three positive performances and we have a different confidence. The players comprehend each other better. We communicate increased about this.

"We demonstrated this year we can have bad moments but suddenly, we have three strong performances.

"We just need to be engaged in the match until the final 10 minutes. Previously, we could have lost everything the way we performed in the encounter. Now, the feeling was not that one."

Doubt Lingers Regarding Futures of the striker and Mainoo

If this was a occasion when United displayed their resilience, it was also a day that must have left the Dutch forward and the young midfielder even more uncertain of their roles in the manager's new-look squad.

In his pre-match press conference, Amorim said it was likely members of the squad who believe they are at danger of not making the international tournament will ask to leave in the January signing period.

It is fair to assume the striker and Mainoo fit into that category. The forward has managed less than two full games from his four top-flight cameo roles in the current campaign. For the young player, the number is over two hours from seven.

Not one has begun a Premier League match so far and nor were they asked to be substituted on at the stadium, as the team chased a route to recovery into a contest they were trailing in from the 50th minute.

"Our squad includes a great deal of talent on the substitutes but sometimes I have the impression if I'm going to disrupt the game constantly, I'm going to interrupt something," explained Amorim. "We were improving during the second half, so my feeling was to avoid altering anything with the guys in attack."

Mainoo had a agreement in progress to move to Napoli in the last days of the summer window but United would not sanction a transfer. The striker was coming back from a fitness issue but is now open to the idea of a return to Serie A.

The situation is made more complex by the loss of the winger and the wing-back to the Africa Cup of Nations in the midst of December, a time which features a couple of weekday matches which will require a level of squad changes not previously needed.

As the championship match is on 18 January, the pair should be returned well before the transfer window closes on February 2nd - which may mean a later outcome than what wantaway player would like.

"This is about the demands of the game," said Amorim, when questioned directly about the forward and the midfielder. "They know it's just a moment.

"It isn't related to quality - and we have a lot of fixtures."